//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: Spyra // by angelofrombelow //------------------------------// Her eyes took some time to adjust to the gloom. She was still groggy from her enforced sleep and her head ached. Lyra tried to move but found herself prevented from doing so. She closed her eyes, which helped to control the nausea she felt. It took a moment for her thoughts to get themselves in order. She had been placed in a sitting position, her back against the wall and her forelegs tied to a water pipe behind her. The rope was also looped around her stomach and was too tight to allow any movement. She was still dressed in her black lycra outfit, her tail squashed underneath her. The room was poorly lit but instantly recognisable as a cellar. Barrels of alcohol were lined up against the wall. There were also a number of bottle racks, but they were empty. Berry Punch had obviously cleared away anything that could be easily lifted by magic, to ensure the unicorn spy didn't have any weapons available. The only light came from the opposite end of the room, where a set of wooden steps led up into the main house. The pink unicorn filly from before was standing diligently beside them, apparently left there to guard her. The filly's name was Ruby Pinch – Lyra had discovered that much during her brief research on Berry. The youngster had been the one thing she hadn't accounted for. She had assumed she would be asleep in bed or sent somewhere safe, rather than kept hidden for a last-ditch surprise attack. The fact Ruby Pinch was being used as a guard meant Berry had told her what she was up to, though it was likely she had lied about her true intentions. The poor little thing had no idea what her mother truly was. The filly noticed Lyra had woken up and adopted what was supposed to be a hardened, authoritarian expression. It made her look unbearably cute. "So, the prisoner is awake," she said, marching over to Lyra in short little steps, "Your reign of terror is over. Resistance is futile. We have ways of making you talk. And, um…" She paused, holding her hoof to her mouth. She had run out of stock catchphrases to use. Lyra realised if she used her magic to try to untie herself, Ruby would see the aura around her horn and fetch Berry immediately. "Where's your mother?" she asked, aiming to find out what the relationship between them was like. If there was any chance of getting the filly on her side, no matter how slim, she had to take it. "Oh, she's upstairs fixing her face from where you beat her up. You big bully. How could you hurt my mummy?" "Self defence. She's the one who attacked me first." "Lies! Slander and lies!" cried Ruby, "You broke into our house. That makes you the bad guy." Lyra didn't have an answer for that straight away. Without the proper context, the filly was correct from an objective point of view. Ruby tilted her head, looking at Lyra with a bemused expression. "You… you did realise you're the bad guy, didn't you? I didn't just break the news to you, did I?" she said. She frowned sadly when she didn't get a response, and sat down on the cellar floor. "Um, it's alright," said Lyra, sensing that Ruby had let her guard down, "What did your mother say about me anyway?" "Well," she said, looking up and away in concentration as she tried to remember, "She said you worked for an evil princess and we had to stop you before you took over the world. She said you were a spy and your real name was Lyra but everyone thought you were called Heartstrings. Oh, and she got drunk one night and mentioned something about you having a great plot. I asked her what that meant and she said 'plot' was another word for 'evil plans'. I'm not sure she's right about that though, because this one time I was in class and I said Diamond Tiara had a great plot and Miss Cheerilee got annoyed with me." Lyra couldn't stop herself from smiling just a little bit. "Ruby Pinch, I'm afraid your mother hasn't been entirely truthful with you," she said softly. "What? You're saying she lied to me? That's impossible," Ruby said defiantly. "I'm sorry you have to hear this, but it's the truth. I am a spy but I'm working for Princess Celestia. Your mother found this out and started threatening me. That's why I came after her." Ruby stood back up, shaking her head. "No. Nuh-uh. You're lying to me." "Just wait a minute and think back. Is there any part of your mum's story that doesn't make sense? Anything she said that confused you?" "Enough!" Ruby stomped her hoof on the floor, her voice rising to a squeak. "I'm not going to stand here and let you say these things about my mummy! Do you want to know what I do to ponies who say horrible things about her? Do you?" The filly glared at Lyra, her teeth bared. Lyra just stared back. Ruby's confidence faltered, she took a step back, then she ran all the way to the other side of the cellar. "Muuum!" she called up the stairs, "Lyra's being mean to me!" Lyra grimaced and swiftly got to work with her magic, trying to untie herself. The rope was incredibly tight and it didn't help that she couldn't see what she was doing. She tugged at the knots with her telekinesis but they wouldn't give. There was the sound of some activity, then a few moments later Berry Punch emerged at the top of the stairs and walked down into the cellar. She took one look at Lyra, then turned to her daughter. "Ruby Pinch, what did I say about talking to strangers?" There was a warning edge to her voice. Ruby stood bolt upright and recited a well-worn mantra. "Don't talk to strangers, don't talk to strange ponies, and don't talk to strangers who are also strange ponies." "That's right." Berry ruffled her mane and turned her attention to Lyra. "So, you're awake," she said, walking towards her with Ruby by her side, "Thanks for providing that pad of chloroform. It made knocking you out so much easier." "I can't believe you willingly got your daughter involved in all of this," said Lyra, "Mind you, I wouldn't expect anything less of you. Corrupting the innocent." "Corrupting the innocent?" Berry appeared to be offended for a moment, then reflected on her past experiences. "Well, I guess I have been known to do that from time to time, but I'd never hurt my little Pinchy." She nuzzled against the little filly. Lyra was too busy checking her surroundings to respond. There didn't appear to be any way out of this. There were no loose items anywhere that she could use as a magically-propelled projectile and she wouldn't risk doing that right now anyway, not when there was a risk of hurting a filly. All she could do was wait and see what Berry wanted with her. "So, here you are. All tied up and at my mercy," Berry said with a wink. "You know what I want from you, so spill it. Give me some answers." "Answers about what?" "For starters, I want you to tell me everything you know about Nightmare Moon." Lyra snorted with disdain. "All I know is that she's a bitch and so are you." "Hey, watch your language!" cried Berry, before realising what Lyra had said. "Wait, what?" The unicorn simply stared back at her, defiant. Berry frowned, then smirked and shrugged. "No matter. I've completed my orders – all that's left for me to do is deliver you to the princess." She smiled. "And you'd better watch your mouth. Celestia won't go so easy on you." It took a short while for her words to fully sink in. When they did, Lyra froze rigid, her eyes suddenly wide open. She was totally thunderstruck. There was nothing in Berry's demeanour to suggest she was lying, but she had to be. This had to be some sort of trick. The alternative, that she was telling the truth and really was working for Celestia, didn't make the slightest bit of sense. Ruby Pinch noticed Lyra's glazed expression and tilted her head inquisitively, before waving her hoof in front of her face. No response. Perturbed, she turned to face Berry. "Mum, I think you broke her." **** Carrot Top stared at the intruder in her home, poised and ready to attack if the stallion made a single move against her. Her sister Noi was with her, trying to show solidarity while simultaneously hiding behind her. "Enough of this. Just come out with the truth," Noteworthy said, rearing up on his hind legs, "I know everything. I know you're working with Berry Punch!" She remained in her crouched position. "Berry Punch? I barely know the mare!" "I know you're lying," he said, shaking his head, "You've been plotting to have me taken care of so she can carry out her plans in peace. Don't try to deny it." "What plans? The only pony I know who's planning anything is you! I know your secret, and I know what you're planning against Princess Celestia!" Noteworthy opened his mouth to say something, stopped, then lowered his metal-clad hooves on the floor. His orange-maned opponent watched him, wondering if she should strike. "What are you talking about?" he said, his voice betraying his bewilderment. "Don't play dumb with me! I know all about your connections to the royal family!" He scratched his face with one of the fingers on his metal glove, wondering what she was getting at. Carrot Top relaxed her pose a little, starting to sense that something was off. "You're a cousin of Prince Blueblood," she said, quieter than before. "Yes. Yes I am. What of it?" he asked. Noi poked her head out from behind her sister, her nose scrunched up in confusion. Carrot Top was standing upright now, her adrenalin replaced with uncertainty. "You're working in league with him," she said, "Helping him with his plan to usurp Princess Celestia." Noteworthy's jaw dropped and a silence hung in the air. Then his mouth curved up into a grin and he burst out laughing. Carrot Top's face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger. "Stop that! I know it's the truth! I heard it from the highest authority!" It took some effort but he managed to regain his composure. "Blueblood. Right. That's a good one," he said, still chuckling, "And just where did you get that little gem from?" "Princess Celestia, of course," she said, holding her head high in an attempt to regain some dignity. He cleared his throat, his expression becoming serious again. "Oh, this is getting tiresome. You've had your fun. Now, tell me about Berry Punch." She sighed, an aggravated frown settling on her features. "Noi, be a darling and fetch the scroll detailing my assignment. It's behind the secret panel in the cupboard under the sink." The filly shot a nervous look at Noteworthy before scampering off. She came back at a slower pace and, with a nod from her sister, dropped the roll of paper at his hooves. He took one look and gasped. "But this, this has the royal seal! How did you get…" His voice trailed off and he opened up the scroll, taking in its contents at a glance. Having read it, he stared up at Carrot Top, completely dumbfounded. "Okay, what's going on here?" she asked, "Judging by the look on your face, this is the first you've heard of any of this." "I… I… yes," he said, "I mean, Blueblood – he's a great guy, but he couldn't pull off a coup even if it offered itself to him. There's been a mistake made somewhere, a big mistake." "You said something about Berry Punch?" "Yes. I work for Princess Celestia – in the same capacity as yourself, going by this scroll – and she told me Berry was planning to turn Twilight Sparkle's friends against her and break up the Elements of Harmony." Carrot Top held her hoof to her mouth as a thought struck her. "You know, I saw Miss Punch recently. She was having a full-on shouting match with Heartstrings. Come to think of it, Heartstrings has been in the background everywhere I've been lately. I've only just realised that now." "She spoke to me the night after the Ponyville party, actually. She asked about you." "Oh my," said Carrot Top, finally accepting the truth, "Celestia's been playing a little game with us, I fear." Noteworthy shook his head. "She does have a sense of humour, but I doubt she'd joke about something as important as homeland security. No, this was a test. Think about it – it's unlikely she'd need more than four spies in a place such as Ponyville. Perhaps this was her way of getting us to find out about each other." Noi wandered between the pair of them, looking first at Noteworthy, then at her sister. "So, does this mean he's not a bad pony?" she asked. "It would appear not," said Carrot Top, then she gasped and held her hoof to her mouth. "Oh my goodness. We really should tell the others. They were on the verge of fighting this afternoon – it'd be terrible if something happened between them." "You're right. They'll surely be asleep at this time of night, but there's nothing to stop us posting a note through their door. The sooner they find out, the better." Carrot Top nodded and headed upstairs to fetch some paper and a quill. Noi looked up at Noteworthy, still suspicious of him. He gave a nervous smile, not entirely sure how to speak to children. There was an awkward moment of silence that soon started to feel a little uncomfortable. "Um, so…" he said, searching for a topic of conversation, "Does your sister have a special somepony?" **** "Hey. Hey you," said Berry Punch, tapping a dumbstruck Lyra on the forehead with her hoof. The green mint-coated unicorn shook her head, suddenly regaining her wits. She looked at Berry, running their previous encounters over in her head. The earth pony had gone out of her way to be as irritating as possible, trying to goad her into confessing her true mission. They had first spoken to each other in Horte Cuisine's restaurant, where Berry had mocked her, claiming that the forces of Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon would soon be fighting each other and there could only be one winner. But now Lyra thought about it, Berry hadn't openly said which side she was on. "Will you stop staring at me?" said the purple pony, "I know I'm a good-looking mare but you're starting to weird me out." "Did you just say you work for Princess Celestia?" asked Lyra, still trying to piece things together in her mind. "Um, yeah. Duh," she replied slowly, eyebrow raised, "That's why we were fighting just now. Seriously, what's wrong with you?" "Berry," Lyra said earnestly, "I work for Princess Celestia." Berry raised a foreleg in uncertainty, watching her captive's face. Lyra stared back at her, hoping to convince her she was telling the truth. "Oh, don't be stupid. I know you work for her – sorry, used to work for her. That's why she sent me after you. You'd gone rogue, turned to the dark side. Part of a cult that hoped to bring about the return of Nightmare Moon." "And Celestia told me that Carrot Top – I mean, Golden Harvest – had gone rogue. Every time we've met up, I'd been following her. The party, the restaurant and the library. And she's been paying a lot of attention to Noteworthy… hey. Have you noticed him hanging around you recently? Just like, in the background when you've been going about your business?" "No, I haven't," said Berry wearily, not believing a word, "I spoke to him once at the party and I haven't seen him since. Drop the act. You broke into my house and tried to chloroform me. If you really think…" "If I hadn't done that, you'd have come after me. I don't… I have no idea what's going on." Ruby had been thinking things over for the past few minutes, and now tapped her mother's foreleg to get her attention. "She told me she was working for the princess before you came. I thought she was lying but…" She stopped talking as the three of them became aware of a faint knocking sound from upstairs. It was intermittent, but insistent. "It's the front door," said Berry, "Damn it, I left the lights on. Pinchy, stay down here but don't talk to her. Keep your distance." She pointed a hoof at Lyra. "And you, get your story straight. I'm not done with you yet." **** A silent observer watched as the situation unfolded – she was the same being who had been watching Lyra on the eve of the Ponyville party. She looked on as Berry Punch opened her door to find Noteworthy waiting for her. He began to explain what he and Carrot Top had discovered and the purple earth pony slowly came to accept the truth. The observer cursed to herself. She had been keeping tabs on the four spies for the past few days and this was a most unwelcome development, most unwelcome indeed. So they had already uncovered the truth behind Celestia's little game – she had hoped that would keep them occupied for longer than this. Their scheme had backfired. Now the four ponies would want answers, everything would be uncovered and their plans would be for naught. She couldn't let this happen. She wouldn't let this happen. No matter what it took, they had to be kept out of Canterlot. There were still too many variables in play, too much time that had to pass. The stress got to her and she was hit by another one of her flashbacks – the pain, the terror of it all caused her to lose control momentarily and all she could see was what had happened to her, and what could still happen to her. She regained her thoughts and began to formulate a new plan. So this first distraction had failed. All she needed to do was come up with another one. It was logical enough. Something that would take all of their attention so they wouldn't see what was coming until it was too late. She smiled devilishly to herself as the solution became clear. She needed something that would occupy their every waking moment, something that would consume their thoughts. And what better way to do that than a sudden, terrible tragedy?